Gripping device with pivoted actuator and having pawl and rack locking means



Aug. 11, 1953 L. M. WALTER GRIPPING DEVICE WITH PIVOTED ACTUATOR ANDHAVING PAWL AND RACK LOCKING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 22, 1952INVENTOR. Lou s N War/fer BY flTTOR/VE) Aug. 11, 1953 M, WALTER2,648,242

GRIPPING DEVICE WITH PIVOTED ACTUATOR AND HAVING PAWL AND RACK LOCKINGMEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 22, 1952 5 mu H a w u A 3 a n. n 6 W Hn w 4 umflw u 1"" *7 w a 0 -v a a w Patented Aug. 11, 1953 UNITEDSTA-res PATENT OFFICE GRIPFING DEVICE WITH .PIVOTED ACTU- ATOR ANDHAVING 'PAWL AND RACK LOCKING 'MEAN S e Milton Walter, Biepublicfwa sh.Application-May 22, 1952 Serial*No. 289,-306

.eo a'imjs. (01. 31 -19) .,';Th. .$.;inventin ..;rel a t.es to,;an,impro ved pressure applying means which may beincorpor-ated in am vie, ou war .m or c amp smoth devices in which pressure must be applied inorder to .firmly grip an object.

Qne object of the invention is to providea pressure applying. device .ofsuch construction that .a pressure applying arm may be very easily movedto 'a pressure applying position where it isheld by'action of :a wedgeunder control of a handle .slidably. mounted .for movement along h rr supplyin arm,

.Another object of theinvention is to so mount the wedge. and so connectit with the handle that when thehandle is pressed upon to tilt the armand slidfalong the arm, ,a .springbetween the handle and .the wedge willbe tensionedby longitudinal pressure and vthus caused to firmlybe heldinengagement with teeth of a rack and prevented from slipping out of'aposition in which it has firm gripping engagement with ,therack..Another object of .the invention, is to provide improved pressureapplying means which is particularlyadapted. for use in connection witha. vise havin a p -en a in chain i ngs m which. p o ect .fromane d of tha n and is tiltably engaged. with an arm pivoted to abase carryingstationary jaws with which the chain cooperates to tightly grip a pipe.

The. invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawings wherein: t v aFigure 1 is aside elevation of .a pipe vise provided withpressureapplying means of the im- Drovedconstructionl 7 it Figure .2 is afragmentary view inside elevation of the pressure applying means shownin 'Figure 1.

Fieur .3 i j to p an view. o th p p v s shpwninEigure 1, a portion ofthe handle being r k npfiv Figure 4 is a fragment ary sectional viewtaken longitudinally through the handle and the sleeve in which thehandle is mounted.

t Figure 5 is a view in elevation showing the pressure applying meansincorporated in a clamp for an outboard motor.

. Figure 6 is-a modification of -the bolt or plunger shown in Figure 35.

Thepipe vise with'which the improved pressure applying means has been.shownincorporated in Figures 1 and '3 has a baseplate l, and

referringto Figure '3,it;wi1l be seenthat one end portion of this baseplate is formed with openings, 2 to receive bolts or screws by means ofwhich the vise is secured upona workbench B. A tongue 3 extends from aside ofqthfiz ther end portion of the base plate. Thisrtqngue projectsfrom an edgeof the work bench upon which the base plate is secured andthe under face of the tongue iisqformed-with a plurality of transverselyextending teeth forming a rack- -4. Stationary jaws :5 are mounted uponthewbase plate and are spaced transversely :irom each other. Betweenthese jaws the base plate-is formedwith a slot .6. leading fromgasideedge of the base plate and there has also been provided an opening 7which is formedthronghathe plate and spaced from the slot :6 'the widthof the stationary .jaws. The under :face of the base plate is formed atopposite sides of the slotrwith recesses 8 to receive endportions ofpins 9 ;by means of which links JD-ofa chain I i are piyqtally connectedwith-each other; The slot ,fii is of such width that the chain maybefreely passed through theslot and as each pin has its end portionsprojecting from opposite sides of the chain a ;selected, pin;may befitted into.;the recesses and :the chainadjusted to. accommodate itselfto the diameterof the pipe P-which' is to besecured'in'thevise. 1 pAbolt or stem 43 ispivotedat.oneend to an end of the chain, and vthisuboltis passeddownwardly through the opening .The bolt is threadedfron its lower end andrcarries a nut 1.4 having a hemispherical convexedportion I Sserving as an abutment 'for engagement by an .arm 16,..'I'l1i ,arm is .formediof resilientmetal -and extends longitudinallyof the tongue 3 in downwardly spaced. relation thereto and has :itsinner end ,pivotally connected with a bearing bracket or .ear 1] carried.by and extending (downwardly fromthe base .plate I. ,The arm .16 isstraight throughout practically its entire length but :has its freeoutervend portion bent upwardly it rotn opposite sideedges to form aseat 18 upon-which isweldedthe sleeve [3. This sleeve-is'openat bothends and hasoppositeside portions formed with longitudinally extendingslots 20 to slidably receive .ends of a .pin .2 I mounted transverselythrough a-tubular handle 22 formed from a piece of .stiff pipe .ofsuitable length. .A cap 23 closes .the outerlfree end of the handle.

,AwedgeZA whichiis formedof stifi metal has a base portion 25'whichisislidablealong the arm .[6 and this wedgehas its ,upperend engagingthe rack when thechain is properly..,adjusted after beingdisposedaboutthe pipe. The thickness of the metal from which the wedgeand ,its base portion areformed is such that i when the handle is thrustforwardly its .frontend portion which protrudes from the sleeve mayoverlap the base, as shown in Figure 1. the handle is guided and limitedby engagement of end portions of the pin 2| in the slots 20. Acompression spring 26 of the helical type extends longitudinally throughthe forward portion of the handle and this spring has its rear endanchored to the pin 2! and its front end secured to the wedge by a bolt21. After the chain is adjusted to a position in which it fits snuglyabout the pipe the handle is grasped and thrust forwardly from theposition shown in Figure 2 towards the position shown in Figure 1 andthe spring 26 will be compressed whereupon downward pressure applied tothe handle shifts the wedge below the edge of tongue 3 and spring 28shifts it forwardly to a position in which it has wedging fit betweenthe arm and rack 4. Downward pull will thus be applied to the bolt andpull exerted upon the chain. Gripping action of the wedge with the rackwill prevent it from slipping rearwardly along the arm and the chainwill be held in tight gripping engagement with the pipe.

When the pipe is to be released, the handle is shifted rearwardlythrough the sleeve and then downward pressure is applied to the handleand the resilient arm will be flexed downwardly a sumcient distance tofree the wedge from the rack and spring 28 will move the wedge out ofgripping engagement with the rack and allow the handle and the arm tomove upwardly to a position in which pull upon the bolt I3 will ceaseand the chain allowed to be disconnected from the pipe.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 5 there hasbeen shown a clamp 28 by means of which an outboard motor is mountedupon a boat 29. This clamp straddles the board 30 extending across thestern of the boat and has inner and outer arms 3! and 32. At its lowerfree end the arm 3! is formed with teeth constituting a rack 33; throughthis end of the inner arm is formed an opening to slidably receive astem 34. An arm 35 corresponding to the arm I8 is pivoted at its upperend to the clamp 28 by a pin 36. This arm extends longitudinally of thearm 3| of the clamp and is formed with an opening through which the bolt34 slidably passes.

A nut 31 corresponding to the nut I4 is threaded 0 upon the inner endportion of the bolt and at its inner end of the bolt carries a plate 38which is swiveled to the bolt, as shown at 39, so that it may have flatcontacting engagement with the board 30. A wedge 40 corresponding to thewedge 24 has a base 4| which is slidable along the arm 35, and thiswedge engages teeth of the rack 33. At its lower end the arm 35 carriesa sleeve 42 through which a tubular handle 43 slidably passes and thishandle carries a transversely extending pin 44 which corresponds to thepin 2| and has protruding ends which fit into slots 45 formed alongopposite side portions of the sleeve. A helical compression spring 46extends longitudinally in the upper end portion of the handle and hasone end anchored to the pin 44 and its other end connected with thewedge 40 by a bolt 41. When pressure is applied to the handle to forceit towards the board 30 the arm 35 acts against the nut 31 to force theplate or shoe 38 into tight gripping engagement with the board and byshifting the handle upwardly through the sleeve 42 the springs will becompressed and thus cause it to exert pressure upon the wedge and holdthe wedge in gripping en- This movement of gagement with the teeth ofthe rack 33. After the handle has been thrust upwardly through thesleeve to the position shown in Figure 5 it is turned slightly in thesleeve and ends of the pin 44 will enter the offset recesses 45 at upperends of the slots and the handle will be prevented from accidentallyslipping downwardly through the sleeve.

Instead of forming the bolt as shown in Figure 5, it may be formed asshown in Figure 6. This bolt 48 carries a nut 49 corresponding to thenut 31 and within the bolt is formed a pocket 50 extendinglongitudinally of the bolt and leading from the inner end thereof. Theplate or shoe 5!, which corresponds to the shoe 38, is provided with astem or shank 52 to which it is connected by a swiveled joint 53. Theshank is slidably received in the pocket or socket 50 and its inner endengages a helical spring 54 which urges the shank outwardly and pressesthe shoe towards a. position for contacting engagement with the board 30of the boat.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a base plate, astationary jaw carried by said base plate, said base plate being formedwith a slot and with hooks at opposite sides of the slot, the base platebeing also formed with an opening, a chain constituting a movable jawand consisting of links pivotally connected with each other by pinshaving end portions projecting from opposite sides of the chain andselectively engageable with the hooks to hold the chain in an adjustedposition with a portion passing through the slot, a bolt pivoted to anend of said chain and passing downwardly through said opening andthreaded from its lower end, a nut screwed upon said bolt and having aconvexed upper bearing surface, a resilient arm pivotally mounted undersaid base plate and formed with an opening through which said boltslidably passes, said arm restin upon the bearing surface of said nut, atongue projecting from the base plate and having its under surfaceformed with a rack having transversely extending teeth, a wedge slidablealong said arm and pivotally upwardly therefrom with its upper endengaging said rack, a sleeve carried by and extending longitudinallyfrom the free end of said arm and formed with longitudinally extendinslots in op posite side positions, a tubular handle bar slidablelongitudinally through said sleeve and carrying a transverse pin havingend portions slidable longitudinally in the slots of the sleeve, and acompression spring extending longitudinally in the handle bar andsecured at its ends to the wedge and the pin carried by the handle.

2. A device of the character described comprising a base, stationaryjaws carried by said base, a gripping chain cooperatin with thestationary jaws and having a portion adjustably engaged with the base, abolt carried by said chain and slidably passing through said base, aportion of the base having its under face provided with a rack, an armpivoted at one end to said base and extending under the racklongitudinally thereof, a Wedge slidable along said arm and extendingupwardly therefrom and engaged with the rack, a sleeve carried by andextending longitudinally from said arm, a tubular handle slidablelongitudinally through said sleeve, and a compression spring'extendinglongitudinally of said arm and having one end secured tosaid wedge'andits other end portion extending into the handle and secured therein.

3. A device of the character described comprising a base, a stationaryjaw carried thereby, a movable gripper cooperating with the stationaryjaw and including a stem slidably passing through the base, a rackcarried by said base, an arm pivoted to the base and formed with anopening through which the stem passes, an abutment upon the stem engagedby said arm, a wedge slidable along said arm and engaging the rack, aguide carried by said arm, a handle slidable longitudinally in saidguide, and a compression sprin between the wedge and the handle.

4. A device of the character described comprising a stationary member, amovable member slidable through the stationary member, an arm pivoted tothe stationary member and through which the movable member passes, anabutment upon the movable member engaged by the arm, a rack upon thestationary member, a wedge slidable along said arm and engaging saidrack, a handle shiftable longitudinally of said arm, and a compressionspring between the wedge and the handle.

5. A device of the character described comprising a gripper having astationary jaw and a rigid portion formed with an opening and carrying arack, an arm pivoted to the gripper and formed with an opening, a stemslidable through the openings and carrying an abutment engaged by thearm, a sleeve carried by said arm, a Wedge slidable along said arm andengaging said rack, a handle shiftable longitudinally through saidsleeve, and a compression spring between the wedge and the handle.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein the sleeve is formed at oppositesides with longitudinally extending slots having side extensions, thespring having one end connected with a pin passing transversely throughthe handle and having protruding end portions passing through the slotsand engagable in the side extensions of the slots to hold the handle ina longitudinally adjusted position with the spring compressed.

LOUIS MILTON WALTER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,807,917 Jones June 2, 1931 2,692,358 Lile July 8, 19522,603,994 Norton July 22, 1952

